Brad Karp, the chairman of one of America’s most influential law firms, resigned Wednesday after newly unsealed emails revealed past contact with Jeffrey Epstein, renewing scrutiny of the late financier’s far-reaching personal network.
Karp, who has led Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison for nearly two decades, said he decided to step aside following the disclosure of the correspondence. The emails were made public as part of a broader federal document release tied to ongoing investigations into Epstein’s associates and social circle.
According to the firm, Karp never represented Epstein in a legal capacity, and the emails did not involve firm business. Still, the revelations prompted internal concern that the attention surrounding the correspondence could distract from client work and the firm’s leadership responsibilities. Karp said remaining in the chairman role was no longer tenable under the circumstances, though he plans to continue practicing law at the firm.
Paul Weiss has named senior partner Scott Barshay as the new chairman, signaling an effort to stabilize leadership quickly amid growing public attention. The firm emphasized continuity in its operations and leadership structure, underscoring that no wrongdoing has been alleged against the firm itself.
The resignation adds to the expanding ripple effects of the Epstein disclosures, which have once again drawn prominent institutions into uncomfortable public reassessments. As additional records continue to emerge, the episode underscores how associations — even indirect ones — can carry lasting reputational consequences across the legal, political, and financial worlds.
